Earlier Set-Out Time For Trash Pickup In Philadelphia Starts This Week

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Starting this week, Philadelphia residents will be able to set their trash at the curb a couple of hours earlier than currently allowed, the night before its collected.

The Streets Department currently gives out tickets to residents who put their trash out earlier than 7 p.m. the night before pickup. That is to discourage trash cans being left out for days. But council members felt that this is a hardship on seniors in the winter, who are forced to put out their trash when its dark.

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson of the 2nd District said his grandmother was in a quandary.

“Her whole big thing is that she’s petrified that if she puts the trash out at a certain time, she’s going to get a ticket, because she got a ticket before.”

Councilman Bobby Henon of the 6th District originally proposed that residents 65 and over be given an earlier allowable time for putting the trash out. The Nutter Administration felt this would be difficult to enforce, so a compromise was reached: the set-out time will be moved up to 5 p.m. from October through April for all residents.

Henon is pleased, saying, “This provides a citywide opportunity for people to put their trash out at a reasonable time, while there still is some light when Daylight Savings changes the clock and it becomes darker. You can feel comfortable that its safe, they can see their path down the steps and to the curb.”

For April through September, the set out time will stay at 7 p.m. The measure was approved in committee and goes for a final vote next month, though a Streets Department official indicated they will change the set-out time this week, even before council acts.

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Mike Dunn is City Hall bureau chief for KYW Newsradio 1060. He covers the mayor, City Council, and every other aspect of the city’s political landscape.
Mike has been with KYW since 1990. His reporting specialties have also included keeping an eye...